Jetpur man booked for fraud as pipeline materials worth 18L go missing

Rajkot: Jetpur Industrial Nagar police have registered a case against a Jetpur resident for alleged fraud and criminal breach of trust after materials worth over Rs 18 lakh went missing from a warehouse linked to a Gujarat Gas pipeline project.The complaint was lodged by Dalesh Patel (47), a project manager with Control Plus Oil and Gas Solutions Pvt Ltd, which was executing a CNG pipeline project for Gujarat Gas Ltd. The case has been registered against Vijay Shingala, who was engaged as a local guide and warehouse manager for the project.
According to the FIR, the company secured the contract in 2024 and required a warehouse to store materials and equipment. Shingala was appointed on a monthly salary of Rs 25,000 and claimed ownership of a warehouse known as Giriraj Farm. However, five to six months later, it was found that the property belonged to Girish Usadadiya, following which a formal rental agreement was executed with the actual owner. Shingala continued to work with the company thereafter.After the project concluded in July 2025, the company attempted to retrieve surplus materials from the warehouse, but Shingala allegedly refused, citing expenses. A subsequent inspection conducted in Aug 2025 revealed that pipes, valves, flanges and other fittings stored at the warehouse were missing. The value of the missing materials was estimated at Rs 18.2 lakh.Based on the complaint, police booked Shingala under Section 316 (4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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